Frost

FROST. — Nicholas Frost was a native of Tiverton, in Devonshire, England.
Dt. Usher Parsons, of Providence, R. I., one of his descendants, says he was
born about 1595. Brewster says he was an adherent of Charles I. and left England
on account of the civil commotion of the times. He arrived at Piscataqua
about 1635 or 1636, and settled on the head waters of Sturgeon creek on the
south side of Frost’s Hill, in that part of Kittery now called Eliot. He was an
active and influential man — a farmer — and was chosen “selectman” in
1642. In 1650, his wife Bertha (Cadwalla) and daughter, Anna, were taken captive by Indians and killed. His will is dated 1650, thirteen years prior to his death, which occurred
in 1663. It seems that for some cause the will was declared invalid by the
court, and the property divided equally among the children, except the eldest
son, Charles, who was allowed a double share.

Maj. Charles Frost born in England, took the homestead, containing
five hundred acres of land. It was on the then great highway for the inhabitants
of Piscataqua, on the banks of the river, between Portsmouth, Dover
and Exeter. It adjoined the homestead of his brother-in-law, William Leigh-
ton. Though trained to agricultural pursuits he became a prominent man both
in civil and military life. He early showed a fondness for military life ; became
a soldier at sixteen, and rapidly rose through the various grades until he
became Commander-in- Chief of the Militia of the Province of Maine, in 1670.
He was active in securing the annexation of Maine to the Province of Massachusetts
Bay. At the age of 26 he was chosen Representative to the General
Court at Boston, which he held for five years— 1658 to 1662, and again in 1669.
He was actively engaged in all the Indian wars, and was killed by Indians from
an ambush July 4, 1697. He left a large landed property. He married in 1675,
Mary, daughter of Joseph Bolles. She died 1704, leaving nine children, three
sons and six daughters.